Discipline And Resistance:Frederick Douglass’s Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass,an American Slave As Body Narrative

Frederick Douglass is a heroic African American abolitionist and social activist who successfully frees himself from the bondage of slavery.In his life,he has greatly contributed to course of abolition of slavery by writing of autobiographies and orations.He recalls his life as a slave and the experience of emancipation in his most acclaimed autobiography published in 1845,named Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,an American Slave.As Douglass’s slave body and power is repetitively mentioned in his narration,probing into the text in light of body narrative and Foucault’s biopolitical theory might expose the biopolitical power relation and body’s might.There are four main parts in this thesis.The introduction session briefly introduces the life and times of the author Frederick Douglass.Also,it presents the literature review of Narrative,bringing in the featured topic of body,power and biopolitics.The first chapter presents to readers the theoretical framework on which the thesis is based.This chapter briefly recounts Foucault’s proposition in Discipline and Punish,introducing the illustration of Foucauldian body the correlation between body narrative and biopolitics.The second chapter centers on the oppression on slave bodies from biopolitical perspective.It explains how Foucault’s theory of docile bodies and panopticism can be applicable to Frederick Douglass’ slave narrative.It seeks to reveal the intricacy of docile management mechanism,exposing how slaves are subconsciously tamed and how slaves’ body parts are manipulated.The third chapter focuses on the resistance to oppression through Douglass’s slave body.Firstly,it showcases the significance of his black body in his epic fight with the slave broker Covey.Secondly,it underscores the role his black body plays in his process of self-emancipation.Lastly,it illustrates the importance of body in terms of gaining true freedomThe conclusion part links together the duel points of body narrative and disciplinary management.It closes the thesis with a summary of biopolitical oppression and Douglass’s rebellion against it as he rises from a slave to a man.